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Small- and Medium-sized Enterprises (SMEs) and Multinational Enterprises (MNEs) in the agri-food sector have been overcoming internationalization barriers. However, research is scarce, specifically to meet the Sustainable Development Goals, despite the importance of the sector. The main aim of our study is to explore the archetypes and internationa...
Context in source publication
Context 1
... born global approach applies to firms that are internationally oriented since their inception or soon after, who view the world as their marketplace and are usually small firms with limited tangible resources, but significant intangible resources and capabilities [9,38,[70][71][72][73]. The main differences of both approaches are summarized in the Table 1 below: Despite its general acceptance, the Uppsala model has been widely criticized. When critiques of international business (IB) research with a focus on whether IB scholarship tackles "big questions" was reviewed [42], a shift of IB research towards "grand challenges" in global business was suggested, fostering the use of interdisciplinary research methods, multilevel approaches, and phenomena-driven perspectives to attain the goal. ...Citations
... Outro estudo sugere que a inovação é importante para as exportações de empresas agroalimentares, sendo que a garantia em relação a rastreabilidade dos produtos é crucial para a segurança e a confiança dos consumidores. Assim, é necessário que sejam adotadas novas ferramentas tecnológicas para melhorar a rastreabilidade, que pode ser desenvolvida através de uma estratégia de inovação (García-Álvarez et al., 2019). ...
... De acordo com García-Álvarez et al. (2019), um ambiente competitivo facilita o desenvolvimento da inovação colaborativa nas PMEs. Tal inovação direciona produtos, processos e inovação organizacional para atender às demandas dos consumidores. ...
This article discusses the importance of small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) competing in global markets. The main objective of the empirical research presented is to identify the determinants that enable Mexican companies classified as TIF (Tipo Inspección Federal) to export their products to international markets. The research methods used included a Likert scale survey, targeting CEOs and managers in the Mexican meat industry, and the probit econometric technique that demonstrate two hypotheses. The results suggest that food safety (HACCP- H14) is an important factor for exporting, and customer-supplier satisfaction (SCPEXP- H12) makes it possible to aspire to internationalization. These findings support classical internationalization theories, such as the Uppsala model, which are discussed in the theoretical framework.
Keywords:
SMEs internationalization; meat industry; innovation; network trust; food safety
Available: https://periodicos.fgv.br/rae/article/view/90554
... Ensuring the traceability of products is crucial for consumers' safety and trust. Thus, a new technological tool is necessary to improve traceability that can be developed through an innovation strategy (García-Álvarez et al., 2019). ...
... According to García-Álvarez et al. (2019), a competitive environment facilitates the development of collaborative innovation in SMEs. This innovation directs products, processes, and organizational innovation toward meeting the consumers' demands. ...
This article discusses the importance of small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) competing in global markets. The main objective of the empirical research presented is to identify the determinants that enable Mexican companies classified as TIF (Tipo Inspección Federal) to export their products to international markets. The research methods used included a Likert scale survey, targeting CEOs and managers in the Mexican meat industry, and the probit econometric technique that demonstrate two hypotheses. The results suggest that food safety (HACCPH14) is an important factor for exporting, and customer-supplier satisfaction (SCPEXP- H12) makes it possible to aspire to internationalization. These findings support classical internationalization theories, such as the Uppsala model, which are discussed in the theoretical framework.
Keywords: SMEs internationalization, meat industry, innovation, network trust, food safety
Available: https://periodicos.fgv.br/rae/article/view/90554
... Building on those streams of research, we posit that digitalisation plays a key role in fostering knowledge acquisition processes, ultimately easing the internationalisation of SMEs. Past research has focused its attention on the degree to which SMEs have adopted information and communications technology infrastructures (ICT) or how digital technologies have changed the interaction between activities in the value chain of SMEs, resulting in the adoption of new business models (de Perea et al., 2019;Magnani et al., 2021;Bivona and Cruz, 2021). However, literature delving into the role of digitalisation as an enabler to SME internationalisation remains fragmented (Cassetta et al., 2020;Kergroach, 2020;Lee, 2015). ...
Purpose
The purpose of this paper is to provide an integrative picture of the state of the art of the literature on digitalisation of small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) as an enabler for their internationalisation process and as a comprehensive view of the specific domains impacted by digital technologies as well as their repercussions on the international outreach.
Design/methodology/approach
A systematic review which leverages a descriptive analysis of extant literature and an axial coding technique has been conducted to shed light on the current knowledge and to identify primary research areas and future research lines.
Findings
The research indicates that digitalisation impacts the internationalisation of SMEs in three specific domains: (1) internationalisation through the adoption of information and communication technologies (ICT) technologies and e-commerce platforms; (2) international expansion through the digitalisation of value chain activities and (3) international outreach through knowledge acquisition on digital platforms.
Originality/value
The value of this study is threefold. First, the authors attempt to systematically review the literature on SMEs digitalisation and internationalisation and provide a holistic perspective on the intertwining of these two research streams. Second, the authors propose a novel conceptualisation on the dimensions of SMEs digitalisation as enablers to internationalisation. Third, the authors put forward promising future lines of research.
Highlights
Digitalisation represents a pivotal strategy that allows companies to build new strategic capabilities and is a propeller for SMEs internationalisation.
Through e-commerce, SMEs could compete at the same level of multinational companies but enduring lower costs of expansion.
Digital platforms allow SMEs to enhance the learning processes about international markets through an immediate access to relevant information.
Digital entrepreneurship has enabled SMEs to develop new configurations of value chain activities, evolving their business model or reaching new markets.
SMEs are changing the “business as usual” paradigm offering digital tools to build modular architectures that are scalable and agile in their evolution ability.
... Past literature has demonstrated that standalone interventions are often not sufficient to tackle digital transformation processes from a systemic perspective (Brunetti et al., 2020). This is particularly true in the case of SMEs that need partners to integrate their capabilities, considering that they operate in complex contexts characterized by transitional processes such as the agrifood industry (García-Álvarez de Perea et al., 2019). ...
... Ensuring the traceability of products is crucial for consumers' safety and trust. Thus, a new technological tool is necessary to improve traceability that can be developed through an innovation strategy (García-Álvarez et al., 2019). ...
... According to García-Álvarez et al. (2019), a competitive environment facilitates the development of collaborative innovation in SMEs. This innovation directs products, processes, and organizational innovation toward meeting the consumers' demands. ...
This article discusses the importance of small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) competing in global markets. The main objective of the empirical research presented is to identify the determinants that enable Mexican companies classified as TIF (Tipo Inspección Federal) to export their products to international markets. The research methods used included a Likert scale survey, targeting CEOs and managers in the Mexican meat industry, and the probit econometric technique that demonstrate two hypotheses. The results suggest that food safety (HACCP-H14) is an important factor for exporting, and customer-supplier satisfaction (SCPEXP-H12) makes it possible to aspire to internationalization. These findings support classical internationalization theories, such as the Uppsala model, which are discussed in the theoretical framework. Este artigo aborda a relevância de as PMEs competirem nos mercados globais. O objetivo principal desta pesquisa empírica é encontrar os determinantes que permitem às empresas mexicanas TIF (Tipo Inspección Federal) exportar seus produtos nos mercados internacionais. Os principais métodos implementados foram: 1) uma pesquisa com escalas Likert realizada na indústria de carnes mexicana, considerando como público-alvo CEOs e gerentes; 2) a técnica econométrica probit que ajudou a demonstrar duas hipótesis como determinantes para a internacionalização das PMEs. Os resultados sugerem que a segurança dos alimentos (HACCP-H14) é relevante para a exportação e a satisfação de consumidores e fornecedores (SCPEXP-H12) estimula a internacionalização. Esses resultados também complementam as teorias clássicas de internacionalização descritas no referencial teórico, como o modelo Uppsala. Palavras-chaves: Internacionalização de empresas, indústria da carne, inovação agroalimentar, rede de confiança, segurança dos alimentos. RESUMEN Este artículo analiza la importancia de que las pequeñas y medianas empresas (PYME) compitan en los mercados globales. El principal objetivo de esta investigación empírica es encontrar los determinantes que permiten a las empresas mexicanas clasificadas como TIF (Tipo Inspección Federal) exportar sus productos a los mercados internacionales. Los métodos implementados fueron: 1) una encuesta con escalas Likert dirigida a directores generales y gerentes de la industria cárnica mexicana; y 2) la técnica econométrica probit que ayudó a demostrar dos hipótesis como determinantes para la internacionalización de las PYME. Los resultados sugieren que la seguridad alimentaria (HACCP-H14) es un factor relevante para exportar y la satisfacción cliente-proveedor (SCPEXP-H12) posibilita aspirar a la internacionalización. Estos hallazgos respaldan las teorías clásicas de internacionalización, como el modelo Uppsala, que se analizan en el marco teórico. Palabras clave: internacionalización de PYME, industria cárnica, innovación agroalimentaria, red de confianza, seguridad alimentaria. ARTICLES | Determinants for the internationalization of mexican meat companies
... Additionally, a case study has been adopted as it represents an appropriate methodology to investigate contemporary phenomena in real-life situations [109], and it has been demonstrated to be an effective research method in the context of organizational behaviors [110]. Indeed, several authors adopted a qualitative methodology based on case studies to explore topics related to SMEs [111,112]. However, little is known about Italian SMEs that offer sustainable services and products in the food sector. ...
Increasing concerns about the human impact on the environment are leading to new challenges for companies and their employees. Specifically, the food industry is facing the need to provide sustainable services, requiring a specialized and skilled workforce. This article presents a case study of an Italian sustainable Small and Medium Enterprise (SME) operating in the food sector in order to determine the drivers of working for this company, the key skills needed, and the Green Human Resource Management practices adopted. A total of 13 semi-structured interviews were conducted with employees and thematically analyzed. The findings showed that soft skills were perceived as more relevant than hard skills, although the food sector is characterized by high technical complexity and subjected to several national and international regulations. Moreover, the crucial role of organizational culture in determining the relevance of soft skills within the company and in fostering the implementation of the holacracy organizational management method emerged. Finally, by detecting the relevance recognized to values and soft skills during the recruitment and selection process, our findings provided some evidence of Green Human Resource Management in sustainable SMEs.
... If taxes are high, innovation processes are discouraged by allocating fewer resources for this aim. Hence, regulations might affect the innovation activities of companies, including restrictions on trade, tariffs, interest rates, and employment [125,126]. With this in view: ...
... This methodology has facilitated the theoretical development (theorization) of the positive relationship that exists between innovation and internationalization [56,126,[135][136][137][138][139]. Through the application of three case studies, this research seeks to expand the field of study and explore the factors of the environment, the entrepreneurial orientation, and flexibility of an organization in its capacity for innovation, and how these fashion the way companies carry out their activities of innovation (introduction of new products, introduction of new processes) [132,134]. ...
Through the methodology of a case study, this paper presents a holistic analysis of the relationship between innovation capacity, entrepreneurial orientation, flexibility, and environmental factors. Three studies were conducted in the context of chemical-pharmaceutical industries, SMEs, in a small economy. Likewise, they analyze the relationship between the innovation capacity and internationalization of those companies. The studies provide further evidence of the relationships between areas of interest, where links among entrepreneurial orientation, flexibility, external-ities (local and international), and innovation capacity are clear. Finally, this paper contributes to the theory-building on innovation capacity and internationalization from a scholarly perspective while presenting a practical view for practitioners.
... Scholarly studies on internationalization started in the 1970s with greater emphasis on large MNEs (Perea et al., 2019), but in the recent twenty years, literature on MSMEs internationalization has been mushrooming due to digitalization (Joensuu-Salo et al., 2018). International business theories (IBT) were generally developed through many years of empirical studies on large MNEs (Wittkop et al., 2018) and they offer explanations and enable the prediction of international expansion (Buckley & Casson, 1976). ...
The interplay phenomenon of digitalization and internationalization (IDI) is gaining scholarly traction in the recent two decades when digitalization acts as an effective fuel for internationalization and internationalization activities reciprocally cry out for a greater digitalization revolution. Digital companies (DCs), born-digital companies (BDCs), and born-global companies (BGCs) are the new entrants to the literature. Despite burgeoning scholarly interest in this research domain, it is a relatively young research domain with limited scholarly literature. This paper aims to provide a clear picture of this interplay phenomenon and offers useful insights for future research to further enrich the extant literature on digitalization and internationalization. What do we know about the interplay phenomenon of digitalization and internationalization and what else should we investigate further in this domain? This paper reveals that despite the recent mushrooming literature on both digitalization and internationalization themes, there lie great research opportunities in topics related to IDI, and international business theories (IBT) for both large and small multinational enterprises (MNEs) as well as risks associated with digitalization and internationalization. The study contributes to the literature by discussing the gaps in the literature and offering academicians and researchers new research venues to enrich the extant literature in this domain.
... Vahlne & Ivarsson, 2014). It is also commonly acknowledged that although MNEs and SMEs differ structurally, they need to overcome similar internal and external barriers in the process of internationalization (García-Álvarez de Perea et al., 2019). They are also all prone to the pressure of globalization that makes the internationalization processes more alike. ...
In the European Union, SMEs represent as much as 99% of businesses, but only 3 out of 10 companies have some international involvement. EU policy makers perceive SMEs internationalization as a desired path for global growth; thus, they have put forward certain tools which aim to boost the pace and scope of internationalization, i.e., by creating and facilitating access to support activities, sharing information, promoting cluster and networking initiatives, making support schemes consistent throughout the EU, etc. (Della Corte, Handbook of research on startegic Management in Small and Medium Enterprises. IGI Global, 2014). However, a vital point in creating a successful internationalization framework requires understanding that SMEs internationalization models may and do differ from those of multinational enterprises (MNEs). SMEs have a different structure, and they act differently, since their aims vary from those of MNEs (Knight and Liesch, Journal of World Business 51(1): 93–102, 2016; Buckley, Journal of World Business, 51(1): 74–82, 2016).
Former studies of European SMEs indicate that there are specific traits of company characteristics that determine their internationalization process. Amongst the distinguished factors, size, activities performed, age, and experience counted as the most significant determinants of the expansion. However, these findings refer to occurrences dating back at least 5 years. In the era of rapid digitalization and—still—ongoing globalization, the impact of these factors might have diminished, making place for others. Therefore, the rising importance of digitalization calls for the need to identify new barriers and opportunities for SMEs to become international.
The aim of this chapter is to see whether and how digitalization has influenced the internationalization models of Polish SMEs. We do not provide quantitative analysis that would allow us to statistically verify hypotheses on that matter; however, given the recent developments of the business world and internationalization trends, we assume that digitalization has had an impact on how companies expand abroad nowadays. The study has a screening aim and should allow us to determine whether, in the case of the Polish context, the matter requires further pursuit. The remainder of this chapter is structured as follows: first, we discuss the internationalization models which commonly referred to the international expansion of SMEs. Secondly, we discuss how digitalization can influence the process and its determinants. Finally, we present our research results based on quasi-focus group discussion with Polish SMEs. The study concerned the impact the digitalization has on the internationalization experience of those companies.
... Moreover, innovation is an essential factor in the competitiveness of a country [3], enhancing its capability to create and offer new-to-the-world products, services, and technologies over the long run [4]. Further, when properly managed, innovation is a dynamic capability that leads to achieving a competitive and sustainable advantage [5][6][7][8]. This capability comprises different standpoints, e.g., national capability [4,9,10], regional capability [11][12][13], public capability [13][14][15][16], and organizational capability [17][18][19][20], among others. ...
Innovation capability contributes to the competitiveness of a country. However, due to the multi-faceted nature of this dynamic capability, its development is considered a risky task. Thus, it is critical to concentrate the efforts on the determinants that might provide a higher impact on sustaining the development of this capability, particularly for a developing country with limited resources. This work presents a systematic literature review examining 14 innovation determinants to advance the understanding of their impact on countries’ innovation capability. This research studied the literature by qualitative strategies to categorize and contextualize the findings. It also includes the contribution made by experts from a developing country through interviews. The selected publications and the interviews provided fundamental elements to identify the impact and linkages of the innovation determinants on the development of innovation capability. From here, a conceptual framework is outlined proposing an incremental loop that encompasses five stages: (1) government support, (2) implementation of innovation agencies, (3) R&D projects between U-I, (4) innovation clusters development, and (5) innovation output achievement. These stages systematize practical strategies regarding the 14 determinants posing a path to sustain the growth of this capability in the context of developing countries, contributing from theoretical and practical standpoints.
